1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lane change assist device capable of executing a lane change assist control for supporting a steering operation to make a lane change.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2016-126360 discloses a lane change assist device capable of executing lane change assist control that supports a steering operation of a steering wheel when a vehicle makes a lane change.
This lane change assist device can calculate a target trajectory on which a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “own vehicle”) equipped with a lane change assist device travels when the own vehicle makes a lane change from a lane on which the own vehicle is currently traveling (hereinafter referred to as “original lane”) to a lane adjacent to the original lane (hereinafter referred to as “target lane”). Furthermore, the lane change assist device can control steered angles of steered wheels of the own vehicle so that the own vehicle travels along the calculated target trajectory.
Further, the lane change assist device determines whether or not a probability of collision between the own vehicle and another vehicle traveling on the target lane is high when the own vehicle is moved to the target lane along the calculated target trajectory. In other words, the lane change assist device determines whether or not a predetermined non-permission condition is established.
Then, the lane change assist device does not execute the lane change assist control when determining that the non-permission condition is established.
On the other hand, the lane change assist device executes the lane change assist control when the non-permission condition is not established.
That is, in this case, the lane change assist device controls the steered angles of the steered wheels of the own vehicle so that the own vehicle travels along the calculated target trajectory.